The Portland Trail Blazers entered their home game against the Brooklyn Nets as favorites but were dominated throughout the game, losing 132-114. As is the case after suffering a blowout loss, there are negative takeaways from the game. The most glaring of which was Deandre Ayton's lack of effort.
Portland's big man finished with just two points and eight rebounds in 24 minutes. The Blazers need to move on from Ayton at some point. It was already apparent after Portland invested a top-ten pick in Donovan Clingan, but lackluster performances like this just further solidify why it's in the Blazers' best interest to trade Ayton.
However, it seems unlikely that a deal involving Ayton will get done before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, primarily due to his massive $34 million contract, which is even more challenging to match under the new CBA.
In a perfect world, Ayton would be the next player traded. But with that not seeming reasonable at this point, the next player Portland should move is Anfernee Simons. The Blazers' combo guard is a much more realistic option.
Blazers need to trade Anfernee Simons to clear the path for Scoot Henderson
Portland's loss to Brooklyn made it apparent that Simons is the odd man out and should be moved soon. The guard trio of Scoot Henderson, Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe -- who started the game due to the injuries to Jerami Grant and Deni Avdija -- can't all effectively play together. They are undersized and a defensive liability, which played a role in Portland surrending 132 points to a rebuilding Nets team.
However, individually, the game was an extremely promising sign for Henderson, who finished with 39 points, six assists, four rebounds, and two steals, shooting 13-of-18 from the field and 8-of-10 from beyond the arc.
Scoot Henderson 39 points.
— Mr. Statistician Face Man (@tomhaberstroh) January 15, 2025
Scoot Henderson 8 made threes.
Youngest Blazer ever to accomplish both feats, per @Stathead. pic.twitter.com/kXpcJE5HfV
Henderson has had an up-and-down second season. In the past five games alone, he's recorded the following points: 39, 3, 20, 13, and 0. Henderson is bound to come back down to earth, as his shooting performance against Brooklyn was an outlier game compared to his 29.9 percent from three this season.
However, inconsistency is expected for a 20-year-old still figuring out his place in the league. Henderson hasn't had a stellar year by any means, but it's also way too soon to declare him a bust. Performances like this are a prime example of why Portland shouldn't give up on their No. 3 overall pick and continue investing in him until he gives them a definitive reason not to.
That, combined with the fact that Simons is on an expiring deal after next season, makes it clear that the Blazers should prioritize a Henderson-Sharpe backcourt going forward.